Mutasvi

One who has been bonded via miracle to the flowering fields, a rider of the flowering fields. Often bonded to their mounts.

Flowering Fields

Any field that is dominated by flowering plants will work, but those in forested mountains in southeastern Taggarus are the most common.

Miracle Bonding

Miracles only happen for those who need them. One cannot control it, nor can one devise a way to trigger it. It simply happens in moments when the need is great. To miraculously bond to a flowering field, it is not simply the need of the potential ranger, but of the field as well that must be taken into account. If a warrior or other suitable person is in the field and in danger, a miracle may save them, but it will not bond them unless the field is also in danger. Thus, it is almost always when something threatens the field and the rider are threatened - by fire, flood, or storm; by pollution or warfare or drought - that a miracle bonds the two to fight back.

Though in darkest night, the sky shone like a blazing star. Tafadzwa ran their fingers down the neck of their kudu; the noise of the battle had them both on edge. Without warning, the ground rocked beneath them, trees splintered and erupted as fire roiled through on a wave of devastation. Another bomb hit immediately after, and Tafadzwa spurred their mount into the fields, away from the shrapnel and smoke. Moments later, they saw their mistake - a wall of flame rose up through thick grey smoke just past the next hill. Turning again, they found not egress but confrontation. Before them stood the three ogres they had been fleeing moments before.

Trapped, Tafadzwa drew their spear and drew up their kudu. The antelope bucked and shorted, but calmed under the command of her rider. The ogres approached, their heavy blades dragging through the flowers. Tafadzwa waited, then urged her mount forward, flicking her spear like a frog's tongue, a quick in and out that drew blood but did not slow the approach of the three invaders. A single blow from the massive battle axe of the first ogre took down the kudu; a second blow barely missed Tafadzwa. A third cleaved through their shoulder. Tafadzwa's next strike missed entirely as another bomb shook the world around them.

All went dark as a warmth filled them. A scent filled their lungs. A coolness like morning dew streamed down their brow. And a voice in the dark whispered through them, "Handife pano."

Tafadzwa's eyes opened. Though dark night and thick smoke remained, they could see. Though blood washed the ground around them, neither they nor their kudu bore wounds. Both arose, and with a grace unmatched by their opponents, they struck...

Riding

Mutasvi are always mounted warriors. It is common for warriors of the region to ride elephants, zebras, rhinos, topis, nyalas, elands, kudus, roan antelopes, or dzvinyu gurus (giant lizards). In other parts of the world, other animals are found (and the mutasvi go by other names), with horses otherwise being the most common. But in the flowering fields of southeastern Taggarus, the most common mounts are elephants, elands, dzvinyu gurus.

Powers

Mutasvi gain many powers, all of them drawn from the fields themselves:

• Impossible shot: no penalties to called shots if the difficulty to hit is 7+ above skill.
• Resilience: hard-to-kill edge - no instant kill, no coma, stun only after second special stun roll, and KO only after second exceptional stun roll.
• Spring bloom: +3 to all ranger powers and skills in spring.
• Timely rescue: bonuses to reach those in need of help - including plants, animals, and fungi - within the flowering fields.
• Plant/animal speech: only within their own flowering fields.
• Elysian shadow: a shadowslash that harms only infernal targets and cleanses an area of pollution.

A mutasvi's power fades and grows along with the flowers. They blossom in spring and wilt in autumn. If they leave their fields, they must carry a flower with them to retain their powers. When the flower dies (which takes much longer than it would for anyone else carrying it), they must re-plant the flower, then return to the field for a new one and a rest of at least a year.

Mounts

As listed above, the mutasvi have certain common mounts in their original region, and around the world, there is some variation;

• Elephants: the commonest mount, elephants are slower but much stronger and more powerful, and they can be trained to fight on their own. When bonded, the elephant gains the power to call spring rains with their trumpeting.
• Zebras: rare because they are hard to domesticate or train, but some few warriors of the area choose them because of their ferocity. When bonded, they become extremely protective of their rider and give them camouflage powers.
• Rhinos: rarer but very powerful and much sought after for their raw strength. When bonded, they gain the power to take wounds for their rider.
• Topis: not the strongest antelope, but still very swift, even with a rider. When bonded, they gain the power to teleport through the flowering fields.
• Nyalas: a shorter, slender antelope best used by shorter riders. When bonded, they gain the power to repel infernal powers with their horns.
• Elands: the tallest, strongest of the antelopes. When bonded, they gain the power to make flowers bloom with their step and bring warmth with them as they ride.
• Kudus: the greater kudus are rideable; the lesser ones are generally too small. When bonded, they gain the power to breathe Elysian shadow clouds.
• Roan antelopes: another of the larger antelopes. When bonded, they gain the power to run on wind for brief periods.
• Dzvinyu gurus (giant lizards): powerful lizards in the area known for their ferocity in battle, they are much in demand but only the best warriors ride them. When bonded, they gain the power to become one with the flowering field when at rest.

Regional Variations

Some regional variants include

• Northern Taggarus: Faris al'madi ride swift horses or griffins among the 'Ahl al'Riyh.
• Western Taggarus: elephants and topis are ridden by the kehin elesin. [yoruba]
• Mahad: Faris eazim ride camels, horses, or rukhs.
• Western Dabusen: the son atli [azerbaijiani] ride rukhs, camels, horses, or onagers.
• Eastern Dabusen: the pengendara terakhir ride elephants, horses, or massive monitor lizards.
• Western Palhur: the hestóxa'haso'he [cheyenne] ride horses and giant snakes.
• Southern Palhur: the ivaaqsaaqtuq ride moose or wolves.
• Central Palhur: an anqui rides a horse or a giant eagle.
• Eastern Palhur: the imul ride giant snakes.
• Jesenya: the ultimapilota ride horses or wyverns.
• Lyrilla: the a'gluasad ride faeriesteeds.
• Ranu: the viimane rattur ride horses or giant stags.
• Wymmera: the morugnir ride giant boars or dragons.
• Cassaru: the himinuq ride reindeer.
• Gyrah: the postrequitem ride giant birds of many kinds and hippogriffs.
• Undersea: the undersea equivalents vary by region, but they tend to ride hippocampi, dolphins, or sharks.
• Subterranean: the zuìhòu yīgè qíshǒu ride rock lizards or chéngsè mǎ.
• Lunar: the vurulku ride many different lunar beasts, mostly on the Green Moon, as flowers are rare on the other moons.
• Ansulym: there are not enough mutasvis in Ansulym for any cultural variants to develop.
• Starfall: there are no mutasvi variants in Starfall, as no miracles can happen there.

Companions

Mutasvi have other companions besides their mounts. Every mutasvi has a flower that is symbolically theirs. Most have the flame lily, but any flower is possible if it grows in their field. Furthermore, most mutasvi have butterfly, bee, beetle, or any pollinator insect companions. These insects come in small swarms (about 10-20 at a time).

Inventory

The commonest tools include

• Flower: every mutasvi carries petals of their symbolic flower, and if they leave their fields, they take an entire flower with them. The flower retains life for as long as the mutasvi has served the field - so if they have been there a month, the flower lives for a month beyond the bounds of the field, but if they have been there 10 years, they have 10 years of living flower.
• Spear: the commonest weapon in the area is the spear, so most wield one. If they were wielding the spear during the miracle, their spear has +1/+1 vs. infernal powers.
• Ax: most mutasvi carry a small, curved ax that can be thrown. They take no penalties to blind throwing.
• Lariat: most mutasvi use a short rope to grab foes and bind them, empowered by the plants around them.
• Mask: most mutasvi have a small, colorful paper mask for their mouth and nose that they use when they leave their fields, to protect them from pollutants.

Gender and Sexuality

Many mutasvi are either queer or of a third gender, but it is not a requirement. They are disproportionately represented because they are honored in their cultures and because they are more prone to miracles.

Societal Role

Mutasvi are enemies of industrialization and the ecological damage the ruling classes bring to their fields, and thus, they are often persecuted. They are also subject often to national and gendered oppression.

Skills

Common skills include

• Riding
• Tactics
• Horticulture
• Animal care
• Natural conservation
• Hunting
• Tracking
• Survival

Stats

Modifiers from base of nation/species:

PRO +3
ATH +3
STR +2
AWA +1
WIL /
STH /
PRS +3